M4.9 Earthquake 145 km NW of Las Khorey, Somalia — December 5, 2023
2023-12-05 22:51:20 UTC (2023-12-05) · approx. 1:51 AM UTC+3 local
On December 5, 2023 at 22:51 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 145 km NW of Las Khorey, Somalia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates 12.2527°, 47.4480°. This earthquake was detected by 84 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.

Earthquake Details
47.4480°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Las Khorey, Somalia?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 145 km NW of Las Khorey, Somalia on December 5, 2023 at 22:51 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 12.2527°, 47.4480°, which is 145 km NW of Las Khorey, Somalia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000lgjd). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, December 5, 2023). M4.9 Earthquake 145 km NW of Las Khorey, Somalia — December 5, 2023. Retrieved February 10, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000lgjd/